Partition holder for luggage carriers



B. PLATT El AL PARTITION HOLDER FOR LUGGAGE CARRIERS Aug 31, 1937.

Filed May 6, 1936 ATTORNEY$ Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARTITION HOLDER FOR LUGGAGE CARRIERS 2 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in luggage carriers, with particular reference to the partitions and partition holders of such carriers.

Objects of our invention are to provide such partitions with improved latching means adapted to be held individually in either a partition retaining position or in a retracted partition releasing position, whereby the partition may be swung freely without having the latch interfere with its movement; also to provide a latch arm which may be pivotally connected with the top member of one of the bag frame jaws on an axis substantially parallel to the jaw, and provided with means for latching engagement with the partition when swung to a depending position and also provided with means for automatically raising the arm out of the path of the partition when unlatched.

A further object is to provide latch means particularly adapted for one hand manipulation, whereby a plurality of individual latches may be separately manipulated and the partition member manipulated freely when the latches are each in a retracted position. 1

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a luggage carrier of the Gladstone bag type as it appears in open position, with the partition held by one latch, and with another latch in releasing position.

Figure 2 is a side view of the latch arm, with associated portions of the bag and partition illustrated in section.

Figure 3 is a detail View of the swinging end of the latch arm showing the clasp lips.

Figure 4 is an enlarged View of the latch arm and associated parts as they appear in partition holding position, a portion of the latch arm being broken away to show the spring.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view drawn to line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing a modified latch arm and associated parts.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The luggage carrier illustrated may be assumed to be of an ordinary type having hinged bag frame jaws of angle iron form. Such jaws usually have a top flange III and an inturned flange II. In the particular embodiment illustrated, the left hand jaw is provided with an auxiliary oppositely faced angle iron bar having one flange I2 secured to and re-enforcing the flange I I. The structure of the jaw is, however, not material to the in; vention herein disclosed.

Stop plates or brackets I3 are secured to the inturned flange of one of the jaws and provided with projecting ears I4, Between the ears I4 of each bracket a latch arm i5 has one end pivotally connected by a pivot pin I6, and a spring I! coiled about the pivot pin has its ends connected with the bracket and the latch arm, respectively, under tension tending to hold the arm I5 in the position in which it is shown in Figure 1. Each bracket I 3 has an inwardly extending portion I8 which forms an abutment for the swinging partition member I9, the latter being pivoted or flexibly connected with the bottom portion of the bag, as indicated at 20 in Figure 1.

Each of the arms I5 is provided with a pair of oppositely curved resilient clasp lips 24, the free ends of which converge from their more widely separated middle portions, as shown in Figure 5. The arm I5 and the clasp lips 24 may, if desired, be struck up from a strip of resilient sheet metal by folding the side margins inwardly, as also illustrated in Figure 5.

The partition I9 is provided with openings 26 to receive the clasp lips: 24. The partition will preferably be reenforced by striker plates 21, riveted or otherwise secured to the face of the partition, and each provided with an opening 28 which registers with an opening 26 in the partition.

Each plate 21 serves as a striker plate for the convergent ends of the lips 24 on the associated latch arm I5, whereby said lips are sprung inwardly from normal position when entering the aperture in the re-enforcing plate. The partition opening 26 is slightly larger than the opening 28 in the re-enforcing plate 21, thus allowing the lips 24 to separate slightly after passing through the plate 21.

Therefore, each latch arm may be held by the partition and striker plate 21 in a depending position when the clasp lips 24 are engaged. When they are released the spring I I automatically lifts the latch arm to a position substantially perpendicular to thebracket plate I3. To facilitate releasing the latch from the partition, the arm I5 has its free extremity slightly curved, as indicated at 29, to provide an operating handle or thumb piece.

In the modified form of construction shown in Figure 6, a latch arm I511 is illustrated as having stud pivots lBa separately connecting the respective sides of the latch arm with ears Ma, which will preferably be made somewhat longer than the ears I4 illustrated in the other views, thus providing greater space between the pivotal axis of the latch arm and the supporting plate l3.

A compression spring l'la has one end suitably anchored to the plate I3 and the other end anchored to a base flange 32 on the latch arm Ia.

Ordinary spring anchoring studs 33 may be employed.

The position of the compression spring Ila is such that its axis is in line with the pivotal axis of the arm when the arm is in a position intermediate of the partition holding and the full retracted position, the spring being then under maximum compression, from which expansion is permitted by movement of the arm in either direction from said intermediate position.

With this construction the spring llat tends to hold the latch arm resiliently in either the depending position or in the retracted position. Therefore, the clasp lips 24 and wear plates 21 illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, may be dispensed with, and it is not necessary to provide apertures in the partition if the spring [1a is of suflicient strength. However, if desired, the clasp lips may be employed as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 6, and in that event the partition will be apertured and wear plates preferably provided, as also indicated by dotted lines. The engagement of the clasp lips with the partition makes it possible to hold the partition in place against considerable pressure exerted by clothing 39 packed in the space behind it, and which might tend to push the partition out of place if the latch arms were merely held to the partition under resilient pressure of the other springs.

With the construction shown in Figure 6, the

latch arm I5a will preferably be provided with a partition engaging projection 35 to limit its range of swinging movement to approximately 90 degrees or less. The holding power of this arm will of course be largely dependent upon the L0 strength and tension of the spring Ila.

We claim:

1. In a bag construction embodying a frame having a top flange and an inturned flange substantially at right angles to the top flange, the

combination with the frame, of a fastener comprising a rigid latch arm, means pivotally connecting one end of said arm with the inturned flange in the angle formed by said flanges and upon an axis parallel to the inturned flange, said latch arm being adapted for limited swinging movement from a position parallel to the inturned flange to a position parallel to the top flange, and means for yieldingly holding said arm in either of said positions, said arm being of sufficient length to extend inwardly from the inner margin of the inturned flange when parallel to the latter flange for engagement with a bag part to be fastened.

2. In a bag construction embodying a frame having a top flange and an inturned flange substantially at right angles to the top flange and a movable partition arranged to engage the inturned flange so as to be supported thereon, said partition having a keeper, the combination with the frame and the partition, of a fastener comprising a rigid latch arm having one end pivotally connected with the inturned flange in the angle formed by said flanges and upon an axis parallel to the inturned flange, said latch arm being adapted for limited swinging movement from a position parallel to the inturned flange to a position parallel to the top flange, means for yieldingly holding said arm in either of said positions, said arm being of suflicient length to extend inwardly from the inner margin of the inturned flange when parallel to said flange and having an inwardly projecting portion provided with reversely curved resilient clasp lips adapted for interlocking engagement with said partition keeper, whereby said latch arm is arranged to be moved into releasable engagement with the partition when the bag is closed and is swung to a position substantially parallel with the top flange when the bag is open so as not to obstruct passage of articles removed. or placed in a chamber normally closed by the partition.

SIDNEY PLATT. BENJAMIN PLATI. 

